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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/23125216">Homeward</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/ButterfliesAndPenguins/pseuds/ButterfliesAndPenguins'>ButterfliesAndPenguins</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Siegfried/Aglovale One-Shots [6]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Granblue Fantasy (Video Game)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>M/M</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-03-13</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-03-13</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-01 06:35:06</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>1,236</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/23125216</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/ButterfliesAndPenguins/pseuds/ButterfliesAndPenguins</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Siegfried returns to Aglovale's arms after a long journey and begins to think about where he truly belongs...</p>
<p>Short one-shot for the collection</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Aglovale/Siegfried (Granblue Fantasy)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Siegfried/Aglovale One-Shots [6]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/1398757</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>4</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>17</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Homeward</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>“You’ve returned… finally…”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Balmung, Siegfried’s enormous sword, pulled heavily on his cloak as it slid from from the leather straps at his shoulder onto the stone floor. He exhaled, expecting to see Aglovale looking on with disapproval at his delayed journey, but instead was met with flickering eyes and brows pinched anxiously. The Lord of Frost was at his side, helping him out of his traveling gear and searching eagerly for his eyes until their gazes locked. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Was anything amiss, was your journey still successful?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“All is well,” Siegfried assured him, “it just took me longer than expected. I’m sorry if I’ve caused you worry.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Aglovale inspected his face, as if any injuries might be inscribed there. What he saw seemed to pacify him, at least, and his eyes softened.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I’m alright, truly,” Siegfried took the king’s smaller hand in his palm, pressing it to his cheek. The stubble on his jaw scratched dryly. “Just a little road-weary.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I hope that means you will make your stay here a long one,” Aglovale said enticingly. “You’ll need to rest well to recover, after all.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Siegfried laughed quietly, embracing him. “As long as I am able, I promise.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Aglovale pressed his lips to the slope of Siegfried’s shoulder, breathing against his skin. “You smell of campfire… and earth. Like the forest.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Siegfried nodded, leaning into him to murmur against his ear. “Mm. I slept outside for some of my journey. Especially on the edges of Feendrache.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“The trees smell differently there, I think,” Aglovale frowned. “Heavier, somehow.” He wound his arms around Siegfried’s back and pulled him in tightly, trying to fill the absence that had been between them for weeks and put it out of his memory. Aglovale kissed his head quietly through the tangle of his dark hair and laughed wearily. “Here you still smell of horse, and the dust of the road leading here, to my palace.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Siegfried chuckled. “I admit I am in sore need of a proper bath.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Unquestionably,” Aglovale mumbled, yet he still refused to loosen his hold even a little. “But… those I know well. The scent of returning home.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Siegfried was quiet for a moment. He had traveled many roads returning to a starting point over the years, but they all felt like arriving back at someone else’s home—his peoples’ nomadic village, his post at the Feendrache palace, or the hospitality he was offered from various people over the years. He should feel the same now, he was, after all, precisely that—a guest in Aglovale’s court. Yet his mind had instinctually agreed with Aglovale’s words. </span>
  <em>
    <span>The scent of returning home…</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <span>There was a light rustle as Aglovale pulled aside to gather Siegfried’s face in his hands and press their foreheads together, their noses brushing. He took a bracing breath before whispering, “</span>
  <em>
    <span>Siegfried… your warmth is irreplaceable</span>
  </em>
  <span>. I’ve missed you.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Perhaps it was the dry dust still coating his throat, or the stiffness clinging to his muscles, but Siegfried’s lungs felt tight and aching for a moment. He took a steadying sigh and nodded lightly. “I’ve missed you, too. I couldn’t wait to hold you again.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Aglovale pulled back far enough to peer into Siegfried’s eyes to confirm the truth in them, and shook his head with a smile. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Not before you bathe, I’m afraid.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Ah,” Siegfried bowed his head in defeat, grinning.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Join me after, first I must attend to some things, and dismiss any lurking attendants. I’ll leave my door open for you.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>As he turned away, Siegfried squeezed his hand, clinging to him for just another moment. Aglovale laughed voicelessly and lingered, humoring him, before retreating to his last duties for the evening. Siegfried watched him go, seeing Aglovale’s hand rise and rub the back of his neck distractedly—an uncharacteristic tell that the king’s composure was slipping. Siegfried smiled in secret, enjoying his effect on the man a little too much for someone his age. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He made his way through the halls, letting his presence be known to the guards and those who were expecting his return. He made a show of turning in for the night, hoping to cast off suspicion from any who might notice that he seemed to have a pattern of meeting with the king near his chambers late at night, if indeed there were any left who had not already guessed their habits. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He drew a bath as instructed, letting the steam and salts soothe the ache in his limbs, washing away the strain of the journey. He was anxious to return to Aglovale, to tell the stories from his travels in tired fragments and to drift off to sleep against the comfort of a warm body, but he forced himself to linger in the bath. It gave him time to tend to his weathered state and let the king complete his responsibilities. The familiar, irritating burr of their hidden relationship returned, and he hoped wearily for the day when he was no longer the king’s secret. When that time came and they were declare their love freely… what then? Would anything change, and how long would Siegfried stay in Wales between his own duties that called him away? To which world did he truly belong anymore…? </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Siegfried scrubbed the creases out of his brow with the rose-scented water, trying to duck the dozens of half-questions lurking in his mind. He completed his washing and dressed again, slipping out into the night to join Aglovale in his chambers. He was there dressed in a satin robe, trying to appear occupied while Siegfried entered. Aglovale smiled, pulling Siegfried in by his shirt and kissing him snugly, sighing against the warmth of his freshly-bathed skin.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Were you able to keep busy while I was away?” Siegfried teased.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Hardly, merely had a few border skirmishes to pacify and an entire economy to run,” Aglovale smiled sarcastically. “Though I’m glad my knight has returned to me in one piece.” Aglovale smoothed a palm over the muscles of his tired arm. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I’m sorry it took me longer than expected,” Siegfried sighed. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I knew you’d return to me,” Aglovale laughed smugly, kissing him again. “I still wear your colors, after all.” Aglovale touched a corded necklace of midnight blue that hung beneath his robe. Siegfried recognized the talisman he had gifted him nearly a year ago as a wish for protection, just before the beginning of their love together. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Siegfried’s mouth twitched in a half-smile, surprised the king wore something so simple beneath all his royal decorations, but pleased he remembered its meaning. Perhaps the charm had worked after all.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Aglovale could sense Siegfried’s tiredness and drew them both into bed, listening to a few snatches of the tales from his exploits as the knight recalled the things he had meant to tell first. Too exhausted for much else, he kissed Aglovale languidly, letting the king trace his thin fingers over familiar patterns on his skin. They settled close together, one of Siegfried’s arms going a bit numb as Aglovale lay back against it. His cheek rested on Siegfried’s chest, long lashes blinking slowly as sleep crept over them both. The king sighed lightly and mumbled something against his clothes.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Hmm… You smell like you again. Smells like… coming home…”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Siegfried glanced down at Aglovale just as his eyes closed. He realized sleepily that home—for both of them—was in the arms of each other.</span>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>None of Siegfried's 3 swords in-game are actually called Balmung, but that's its name in the Nibelungenlied, and Siegfried yells things in German during battle. I've been going with mostly Norse references, and Sigurd's sword is named Gram and has a slightly cooler legacy, but I flip-flopped on this one :)</p>
<p>I update this collection of one-shots fairly often, but I slot new chapters in so that they read chronologically through a timeline, so if you check back and the last one isn't the newest one, that's why. Thank you if you are reading and following along with them! ^^</p></blockquote></div></div>
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